At Least 26 People Killed in Texas Church Shooting

Bailey LeJeaune, 17, and David Betancourt, 18, hold candles during a vigil in Sutherland Springs for the victims of a deadly shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas | Image: Jay Janner/AP/Press Association Images

7:14 6 Nov 2017Jack Quann

At Least 26 People Killed in Texas Church Shooting

A gunman wearing a bulletproof vest has opened fire with an assault rifle on the congregation of a Texas church in the US, killing 26 people and wounding 20 more.

The daughter of the pastor at the Sutherland Springs Baptist church is among the victims.

The alleged gunman - Devin Kelley - was dishonourably discharged from the US Air Force in 2014.

Governor of Texas is Greg Abbott: "We don't know if that number will rise or not - all we know is that's too many.

"This will be along suffering morning for those in pain".

Texas Gov Greg Abbott consoles Ted and Ann Montgomery, members of the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, at a vigil for the victims of mass shooting at the church | Image: Jay Janner/AP/Press Association Images

This witness says he and another man with a rifle pursued the suspect as he fled, and helped authorities to track him down.

"He just hurt so many people and he just affected so many people's lives - why wouldn't you want to take him down?

"I was on the phone with dispatch the entire time, I gave them the direction we were going - on what road and everything - and that the vehicle was insight".

President Donald Trump says the nation is living in "dark times", but that the latest shooting isn't a gun issue - but a mental health one.

"This isn't a guns situation - I mean we could go into it, it's a little bit soon to go into it.

"But fortunately somebody else had a gun that was shooting in the opposite direction, otherwise it would have been... much worse".